This invention relates to Internet web sites and more particularly to a method for rotating multiple screens that are sequentially displayed to display a list of entries in order to assure more equal exposure to all entries on the list.
Many Internet web sites are dedicated to one or a few themes and very often these web sites contain lists of other web sites that are also dedicated to the same theme or themes as the present web site. For example, a web site may be hosted by an organization whose theme is rock collecting. On that web site the organization may have one or more lists associated with various facets of rock collecting. One list may be of people or companies that sell polished rocks of different types. Another list may be of people or companies that sell products associated with polishing and displaying rocks, and so forth. Each of these lists may comprise a list totaling upwards of one hundred names or more, and must be displayed over several screens that must be sequentially displayed. Visitors to this rock collecting web site and perusing the lists thereon usually never get through all the screens of names in a list. Also, there is sometimes a cost to be listed in one or more lists on this web site. It is one way of the sources of revenue for the web sites turn a profit, similar to having a listing in the telephone yellow pages.
Individuals who make a business out of different facets of rock collecting, or who have a hobby involving rock collecting will typically visit this exemplary web site fairly frequently to see what is new in the rock collecting field, to look for information, papers or specific products useful in rock collecting, and to participate in chat groups about various facets of rock collecting.
Every time an individual visits such an exemplary web site and go to any particular list thereon they typically see the same first screen, second screen and so on. An individual or company who is near or at the end of any of these lists will less often be seen by a visitor to this list on the rock collecting web site. This is particularly true if the lists are organized alphabetically and an individual""s or company""s name starts with a letter toward the end of the alphabet, such as with W, Y or Z. Such lists are often organized alphabetically because it makes more sense to organize them this way and it is easier if people visiting the rock collecting web site are looking for a company, individual or other web site by their name, which is often the case. Such individuals or companies having a name starting with a letter toward the end of the alphabet will often be discouraged, will not believe that it is cost effective to pay to have themselves listed on this web site, and will not list themselves in the lists on the web site.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a way to provide more equitable exposure to all those individuals and companies listed in topic lists on a web site.
The above described need in the prior art is satisfied by the present invention. I provide a way to give more equitable exposure to those individuals and companies in lists found on web sites to visitors to the web sites.
To implement this equitable exposure each screen full of names in a list are frequently and periodically rotated so that over time each screen full of names in the list receive equal and equitable exposure to visitors to the web site.